This invention relates to wind chimes.
More particularly, the invention relates to a method for molding wind chimes with glass inserts.
In a further respect, the invention relates to a wind chime molding method that reduces the likelihood that the stresses acting on glass inserts in a molded metal wind chime will cause the glass inserts to fracture when vibrations and sound waves produced during operation of the wind chime emanate into the glass inserts.
Wind chimes have existed for many years and typically comprise small tubes or pieces of metal suspended from a frame along with a ringer that is positioned intermediate the tubes of metal and that causes the tubes of metal to vibrate or xe2x80x9cringxe2x80x9d when the wind moves the tubes into contact the ringer.
Wind chimes often are made from brass or other metals. Attempting to incorporate glass pieces into the metal apparently has not been accomplished, particularly when the glass pieces are intended to be included in a mold into which molten metal is poured, contacts the glass pieces, and cools. Contacting glass with molten metal is difficult because the metal and glass have different coefficients of thermal expansion, which can cause the metal, when it cools, to xe2x80x9csqueezexe2x80x9d the glass and cause the glass to fracture. The high temperature of molten metal can also cause the glass to fracture due to thermal shock. Another problem inherent in wind chimes is that when the wind chime is used, it produces vibrations and sound waves which can react with stresses in the glass and cause the glass to fracture even though the glass did not fracture when the glass was originally contacted with molten metal to produce the wind chime. Wind chimes normally include a plurality of different length tubes or chimes. Each chime produces a different sound. Each of these different sounds has a different frequency, making it more likely that one of the frequencies produced will function to aggravate residual stress point in a glass insert and will cause the glass to fracture. The aesthetic value of a metalxe2x80x94glass combination in a wind chime or other device is, however, significant and desirable, as is the ability to use molten metal and glass inserts in molds to produce a high volume of wind chimes. Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to provide a process for using molten metal to mold wind chimes or other devices with glass inserts.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the instant invention to provide an improved method for making a wind chime.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method for using molten metal to produce wind chimes and other devices that include glass inserts that contact the metal.